1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automatically locally controlling a monitoring device according to user preferences. In particular, the present invention relates to wirelessly and locally controlling a patient monitor according to clinician preferences upon presence of the clinician.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical patient monitor generates measurement information by measuring patient parameters using sensors connected to a patient. Such parameters can include, for example, cardiovascular parameters and temperature. A typical monitor includes a local (near sensors of the patient monitor, bed/patient-side, in-room) output interface. The local output interface includes, for example, a display unit visually presenting measurements (e.g., a graphical or wave presentation), a recorder presenting the measurements in a print format, and a sound unit annunciating alarms or audibly providing the measurements. Therefore, the typical monitor can output the generated measurements to the local output interface for viewing, hearing and analysis by users (e.g., nurses and doctors).
A typical monitor also includes a local input interface. The local input interface includes, for example, a keypad to manually input information. The typical monitor also includes a processor executing software to generate the measurements and uses the measurements to perform various other processing functions, such as trending, archiving, reporting and diagnostics.
Patient monitoring environments include, for example, centrally controlled bed-side patient monitors and standalone bed-side patient monitors. In a typical system environment the monitors are located in patient rooms. In case of the centrally controlled bed-side monitors, the monitors include a communication interface for communicating measurements and other information to other devices, such as a central computer (i.e., a remote controller or a remote patient-monitor output interface). For example, a central computer can be connected via a network (wire or wireless) to each monitor via the communication interface of the monitor. The central computer can, for example, be located at the nurse station in a hospital. A typical central computer includes a local (computer-side, in-room) output interface.
A patient monitor is typically controlled as follows: personnel (e.g., nurses) at the nurse station can manually input commands at the central computer to control each monitor. Further, commands can be manually input via the local input interface of the monitor to control the monitor. Monitor control functions can include, for example, commands manually input to set and adjust monitoring and local measurement output configurations, and to control transmission of the measurements to the central computer via the communication interface of the monitors. For example, a monitor""s local measurement output configuration can be set to sleep mode by turning off local output of sound and display.
However, manually controlling the patient monitor, either centrally using the central computer input interface or locally using the local input interface of the patient monitor, has the following disadvantage: personnel may forget to set and adjust local measurement output configurations and monitoring configurations. For example, although local, in-room, patient-side or central-computer-side, output of measurements is useful to trained personnel, such as doctors and nurses, such information may not be useful or necessary to the patient and all personnel (as the case may be). Further, local display and annunciation of alarms when no trained staff is in the patient room or with the patient is not only unnecessary, but can often cause much anxiety for the patient, family or friends visiting the patient. Further, while local, in-room, patient-side, or central-computer-side, display of certain information may be useful and preferable by some nursing staff, the same information may not be useful or preferred by all nursing staff or the physician staff, thereby requiring manual control by each person. Therefore, there is a need to automatically locally (e.g., in-room, patient-side, or central-computer-side) set and adjust local measurement output configurations and monitoring configurations.
The present invention can be attained by a patient monitor comprising sensors monitoring parameters of a patient and generating measurements (information) based upon the monitoring, a local output interface outputting the measurements, a detector wirelessly detecting information signals from a local transmitter, and a processor managing output of the measurements to the local output interface according to the detected information. Therefore, the present invention can provide placing in a room a bed-side (patient side) patient monitor that manages (such as activating, deactivating, adjusting) local output of measurements based upon monitoring of the patient parameters when a clinician is in the room, upon approach/entry of the clinician to/in the room, or when the clinician enters a local area (i.e., within a predetermined short distance/range) of the bed-side monitor.
More particularly, the present invention provides an apparatus comprising a sensor generating measurement information based upon a patient parameter measured by the sensor, and a processor managing local output of the measurement information according to automatically detected control signals locally and wirelessly transmitted from a transmitter entering a local area of the sensor from a remote area. The control signals include identification information of a user and the transmitter travels with the user entering the local area from the remote area.
Further, the present invention can be attained by a patient-monitor remote controller (i.e., a central computer or a remote patient-monitor output interface) comprising a communication interface transmitting/receiving information via a network (wireless or wire) to/from a patient monitor, the information including measurements from monitoring a patient parameter by the patient monitor and commands to control the patient monitor from the remote controller, a local output interface outputting received measurements, a detector wirelessly detecting information signals transmitted from a local transmitter, and a processor managing output of the received measurements to the local output interface according to the detected information. Therefore, the present invention can provide a patient-monitor remote controller that automatically manages (such as activating, deactivating, adjusting) local output of a patient parameter measurement received by the remote controller from a patient monitor controlled by the remote controller when a clinician enters a local area (i.e., within a predetermined short distance/range) of the remote controller.
More particularly, the present invention provides an apparatus comprising a communication interface transmitting/receiving information via a network to/from a patient monitor, the information including measurements from monitoring a patient parameters by the patient monitor, and a processor managing local output of the received measurements according to automatically detected control signals locally and wirelessly transmitted from a transmitter entering a local area of the apparatus from a remote area. The control signals include identification information of a user and the transmitter travels with the user entering the local area from the remote area.
Further, the present invention can be attained by a patient monitor automatically managing local output of the patient parameter measurement information according to preferences of users. The patient monitor manages the local output of the measurements to a local display unit, a local sound unit and a local recorder in communication with the apparatus, the local display unit locally displaying the measurements in various formats (e.g., graphically, wave format), the local sound unit locally annunciating alarms and providing audible information based upon the measurements, and the local recorder locally printing the measurements.
Further, the present invention can be attained by a patient-monitor remote controller automatically managing, according to preferences of users, local output of measurements received from a patient monitor controlled by the remote controller.
Further, the present invention can be attained by a patient monitor automatically controlling sensors to monitor parameters of a patient according to preferences of users.
Further, the present invention can be attained by a patient-monitor remote controller automatically controlling sensors of a patient monitor controlled by the remote controller to monitor parameters of a patient according to preferences of users.
Further, the present invention can be attained by a method of monitoring parameters of a patient, generating measurement information based upon the monitoring, locally outputting the measurement information, wirelessly detecting information signals from a local transmitter, and managing the outputting according to the detected information. Therefore, the present invention provides generating measurements based upon a patient parameter measured by a sensor, automatically detecting locally and wirelessly transmitted control signals from a transmitter entering a local area of the sensor, and managing local output of the measurements according to the control signals. The control signals include identification of a user and the transmitter is traveling with a user entering the local area from the remote area.
Further, the present invention can be attained by a transmitter wirelessly in communication with a patient monitor when within a predetermined distance from the patient monitor, the patient monitor including a detector automatically and wirelessly detecting information signals from the transmitter when the transmitter enters a local area of the patient monitor, the local transmitter comprising a processor transmitting the information signals, including identification of a user, to the detector, wherein the patient monitor manages local output of measurements from monitoring a patient parameter by the patient monitor according to preferences of the user. Therefore, the present invention provides a transmitter comprising a transmission unit and a processor wirelessly and automatically transmitting control signals via the transmission unit for automatic detection by a patient monitor when the transmitter enters a local area of the patient monitor. The patient monitor manages local output of measurements based upon a patient parameter measured by the patient monitor according to the control signals detected by the patient monitor. The control signals include identification of a user or user preferences and the transmitter is traveling with the user entering the local area from a remote area. The transmitter further comprises a storage unit storing the identification information of the user and preferences of the user.
Further the present invention can be attained by a system comprising a transmitter transmitting control signals, and an apparatus comprising a sensor generating measurements based upon a patient parameter measured by the sensor and a processor managing local output of the measurements according to the automatically detected control signals locally and wirelessly transmitted from the transmitter entering a local area of the sensor from a remote area. More particularly, the present invention provides a sensor generating measurements based upon a patient parameter measured by the sensor, a transmitter transmitting control signals and entering a local area of the sensor from a remote area and a processor managing local output of the measurements according to the control signals automatically detected upon the entering of the transmitter to the local area of the sensor. The transmitter travels with a user entering the local area from the remote area.